Mid-Autumn Update - setup!

Um so... Seedlings I planted yesterday got dug up by my "lovely" father... When I told him not to. This is the 100,000 time he has deliberately dug up or killed my plants, I digress.

We started up some polestyrone planters in which he used my acidic soil mix, so no idea what will grow in them now... And he used all my potting mixes so now all the pots I had planned to fill can't happen...

We kind of made the boxes hugelkultur style, and will place drainage holes a quarter the way up- so kind of self wicking without wet feet protection. 

Poorly stitched to show plants not floor....

My new obsession is succulents. They are hardy, and come in an amazing amount of textures and shapes and colours if you have a look!

Succulent garden I'm making for my boyfriend. It's about finished more or less...

Side angle of the succulent planter shows the creepers. Should come up nice when I water it in a week. The creepers look at bit sad while they are callousing up.

My shelf next to the door for quick grab herbs. Some new ones still need repotting- the thyme is crazy (the long growth is actually behind as i needed room for the succulents temporarily!). The aloe is really happy here I'll get it in a bigger pot- so many pups!

Might change this to my fav herbs and lettuces only...as I do often go outside to pick them.
1- Parsley
2- Chives/Garlic Chives
3- Tom Thumb
4- Corn Salad
5- Mushroom Herb
6- Nasturtium (For mum)
7- Borage/ Pansies/ Dianthus? Borage is best.
8- Purslane Yum! Snow pea, spinach and lemony flavour!
9- Rocket
10- Sorrel
Runners up:
As I don't use these as frequently they can stay far away.
wormwood, verbena, lemon balm, True mint, Parcel?

Sibling wants Parsley, Chives, & Garlic Chives in her plant pot, but she has to give me the pot first to plant up!

Cotton plant still shooting up!

Finally put in some pansies, I have 2 in another area, didn't want to crowd it so much. You can see 2 more succulent pots on the left. Oregano flowers are liked by bees but the basil is even trumping even the borage at the moment as favourite. I'm noticing red-brown pollen on the bees lately too... Nasturtium trailing outside the pot. May sell or get rid of all my other oregano plants since it is doing so well in this barrel and we don't even eat it.

Other side. Luckily this pot was located under a broccoli head of seed (=volunteers)! Toothache plant/electric buttons, cola plant (love this smell! And great on steak), red clover is quite dainty...pigface has scale- baaaad. I removed some by hand, ugh. Might need to spray it with white oil or something.

Strawberry runners everywhere. Salad burnet. Dragon fruit seedlings covered! Seeding lettuces everywhere. Running Strawberries. I have a few lavender and rosemary that did strike that I should probably repot....

Nonsense growing everywhere! Borage is not liking the heat we had. Curry plant is such a boss...Surprisingly the sorrel is stunted in full sun and nice and huge in a shadier spot. Perhaps it is the soil conditions too... I need to put soil under the strawberries as it compacted SO MUCH, but will do once runners get cut.

Strawberries and other such things. Dad hates more than 2 rows of plants so...neatened it up a bit. Tomatoes are dead. Pepinos were attacked by a small black beetle...none so far but it's already too late. Have a bayleaf and asparagus to repot! Chocolate cosmos is such a delight. No bees like it but i put it high so i can smell it as i pass it.

The other side. Turmeric, chamomile might make it now the heat is gone, cape gooseberry dropped its fruit on hot days- didn't taste one. Sweet potato. Malabar going nuts. Caper...Aussie Native pot.

Unwatered recent cuttings. Will water in a week or so... Looks pretty cool actually- even if it is an ice-cream container! The rocks REALLY help it look badass.

Mulched the desert pot with mown grass. Stevia will be moved this late winter. Poor mouse melon!! Looking like it's about to die!


Dying but a fair amount of fruit- nothing like last year though. :(  Will have to save more than just 1 fruit for seed this year and start really early! 

The shady bike-shed spot. The valerian didn't like being right in the corner so moved it closer. The catnip got raided by a tomato- but i got a snack out of it. Catnip (Or is it catmint?) smells nice to me but is struggling.

Dug up broad beans. Thanks dad. >.< . Will replant...Sigh. He dug up the salsify, green manure, oca and yacon from here a week ago. Planted nasturtiums to see how the do in the shade near the tree...hopefully mum can get a salad out of it.

Sunnier side. Can't wait for all the fruit tree leaves to fall for some sun! The mangold needs to be harvested or tossed...who would eat that woody chunk?! Was going to save seed but decided the taste wasn't even worthy to me (but i don't like beets....I would eat beetroot though on occasion, and radish).

Sunny edge. Persimmons ripening. Chinese celery -seeding. Berry going nuts. I hate that stupid boisen berry only because it ATTACKS me and takes over the place! It digs into the soil and roots and keeps on spreading! Such a weed! ( I am not fond of the berries). So rampant and such a fast grower!

Cotton growing up! When will it flower, summer is truly over?!! Good idea that i planted it near the drain pipe i never watered it...only as a seedling!

Path by door, need more cardboard to fix it up nice. You can see how half has been dug up. Hate where the jerusalem artichokes are, i tied them in a bunch to keep them some-what out of my path. Yacon on left.

One of my Aussie native pots! The Orange pot is to symbolise sunburnt Uluru! Will move the succulents when I have an idea of where to put them....Most likely on a pot to add height.

Turmeric. It was a bit hectic today- I left a pipe there and succulent seeds. Oops. tee tee XD. Hours and hours and i feel i got nothing done!

Chamomile. Reckon it will revive? Maybe I can lift it out and put compost at the bottom? We'll see if I can be bothered.

Pretty proud of these volunteer capsicums! They shared pots with am indigo rose tomato too and still made about 8 fruit!

Mouse melon. Not much fruit- plenty leaves.  Still putting out flowers. Hopefully the heat from the brick wall will keep them going later.

The polystyrene boxes are set up, but without seeds sown yet - other than the one rocket I put in and crumbled some seeds there. It is either pegasus, or brigade. And has yellow flowers...and is still setting seed. I kind of tied it in a knot it was very tall and wanted to ensure the seeds landed right there.

Blueberries, one sickly (right), but placing pots on top just to keep things looking neat. That's an aussie midyim or midgen berry. Some strawberry guava too- kind of wish i got plain feijoa but next time...and a flowering basil on the left.

Beet seeds going all over the place... Probably can plant them now. I'd like to re mulch that barrel. And fill plants in the pockets on the other sides, which are empty. I think i put a borage on top of the pig face but that wont make it i will have to sow again. Transplanting isn't so successful for me!

Black mondo grass. Planted them out but all the dirt came off when I split them so I think they'll die... We'll see. Berries on far back one.

This spot I'd love to find something cheerful to thrive here in this almost 100% shady spot. Preferably with lots of colour or something interesting....maybe contrasting textures. Probably will have to be a bromeliad...or begonias... I do have some terrarium "never never" plant which I may consider moving here, but it is so dry there too.

Ornamental side of the yard. Full of succulents, spider plant, and geraniums. The hardy trifecta! Some ice plant and agave for good measure. This area is neglected so they better survive on their own! Perhaps I can bring over some aloe pups?!! I wonder... Ideally i think it would be nice to remove the 2 pots from the bottom if i can...

And that is today's update. Most likely have another one tomorrow...i have a lot of gardening and sowing still to do! A list from here to Timbuktu!